The last 18 months have been hard financially for consumers and brands alike.
Marketing budgets have been stripped back and non-necessities questioned. Across the board, there was concern about how long the financial crisis would last. “Brands who weren’t in partnerships were putting a pause on investing in new partnerships,” says Louise Johnson, CEO of sports marketing agency Fuse.
“And brands that were already invested were doing less with what they were doing, and focusing on ‘less is more’,” she adds.
However, this looks to have changed. “I’ve definitely noticed in 2024 more brands coming into partnerships, brands who haven’t been in sponsorship for, like, 10 years,” says Johnson.
Fuse has had more briefs and more pitches in 2024, she adds, which reflects the increasing drive for brands to get involved, or re-involved, in the sports space.
Brands now think sport can help them modernise and “build trust back”, says Johnson. Plus, as media continues to fragment, connecting brands with culture through sport is a “great way” to go about it.
The Men’s World Cup in 2022, followed by the Women’s World Cup last year, were marquee moments for sport, and moving into 2024’s big summer, “marketers are being more optimistic,” says Johnson, while still being “very cautious” with their budgets.
“I definitely feel people are leaning into partnerships and sponsorships as a way to drive their brand, not just through traditional media and marketing channels,” she adds.
128 years after the modern Olympic era began in Athens in 1896, an historic milestone has been reached in Paris 2024 – equal male and female athlete participation. While this is undoubtedly something to be celebrated, gender parity has still not been reached across the board.
There may be equal male and female participants in the Olympics but in terms of sponsorship, media rights, prize money and fans, parity does not exist.
The gender parity debate has dominated conversations among brands, advertisers and media since the commercial and marketing opportunities for women’s sport began to emerge.
We’ve seen brands and sports clubs successfully launch new products and services to tackle inequality, change perceptions and make sport more attractive for women, but one area that could do with a little more love is fandom. Because more fans mean more attention; brand investment follows the eyeballs and is the secret sauce to parity.
Real gender parity in sport requires a ground up approach. If brands, sponsors, governing bodies and rights holders are to entice wider audiences and drive long-term change, while increasing their own awareness, they need to move from comparison between men’s and women’s sport to implementing tangible ways of driving fandom.
This means a more systematic approach to recognising – and encouraging – fans across sports regardless of their sex. To focus on overturning the lazy assumptions that only women watch women’s sport – or that it’s only the male fans that matter to the male sports.
Recent deals demonstrate the investment that is coming into women’s sport. The Caitlin Clark and Nike deal was the biggest ever sponsorship deal for a women’s basketball player, but why didn’t they offer Clark a venture deal (including shoe sales) as they did for Michael Jordan?
The WNBA just agreed a $2.2 billion broadcast deal over 11 years with NBC, Disney and Amazon which is worth more than three times its previous cycle. This investment is really encouraging and will give an even greater platform to the sport with an inevitable knock-on effect on fandom.
In the UK, the Women’s Super League has announced YouTube as a new broadcast partner. It means that non-televised games in the upcoming season will now be broadcast on the league’s official YouTube channel which again will support women’s football’s growing popularity and increasing access and viewability among fans.
Social media offers a powerful platform for fandom. More than 90% of Gen Z fans turn to social media to watch and create sports content and this audience is increasingly diverse, young and open-minded.
This is a gold mine of an opportunity for brand campaigns to lead with personal athlete stories, humorous content and tactical videos that appeal to the interests of those that don’t class themselves as die-hard fans.
We are seeing this played out to the full this Olympics – the first true TikTok games. Not only has the Olympics partnered with TikTok, it has also relaxed its rules for athletes. This means fans can enjoy more direct interaction. Expect to see new personalities born these games, not only as medal winners, but also as short-form storytellers.
Female sport stars have often excelled in this medium and smart brands will be watching carefully, ready to sign up new stars come the closing ceremony.
Using creative ways of celebrating women for being good athletes will drive fandom. We saw some standout examples win at this year’s Cannes Lions where creativity is celebrated with the much talked about WoMen’s football campaign from Orange using highly creative storytelling techniques to expose and challenge gender bias in football winning a Grand Prix.
While social media channels grab a lot of attention, people still access content across a variety of platforms, allowing brands to play with different content formats – and here long-form cannot be underestimated.
Docu-series, such as Drive to Survive and Break Point, are part of still relatively new premium content formats that continue to shape fandom. And now with the release of Netflix’s Simone Biles Rising, a female athlete is finally securing this long-form attention.
Long-form options allow the industry to garner two types of audiences who can appear very different: those who already love the sport and those whose interests lie in everything but the main event. For example, Drive to Survive’s audience is much younger and more female, as the off-track drama, juicy sub-stories and F1 drivers’ personalities gain a different type of attention.
As the digital world evolves, so do contemporary fan behaviours. From video games to the use of technology in physical activities, humans are hard-wired to pursue goals for rewards. Gamification taps into this motivation to shift habits from passive media consumption to active participation – and gains fans along the way.
Bringing women’s sport into these arenas could build on the cross-cultural benefit of sports and gaming to boost fandom – the slow recognition of the role and value of women’s sports is mirrored in the treatment of women gamers so strength and synergy will come from bringing these two together.
The gamification market is set to reach more than $30 billion by 2025, playing a crucial role in the global development of the sports industry – and a key tool in enticing diverse fans to sports they may not otherwise have considered.
The Paris 2024 Olympics marked a cultural shift in how brands connect with global audiences, with the games being dubbed the “TikTok Olympics” due to many sponsors’ digital-first approach.
As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) acknowledges an ageing fanbase—the average age has risen by approximately 10 years in just a decade—the need to captivate younger consumers has never been more pressing.
This urgency has driven brands to rethink their strategies, moving towards innovative campaigns that blend cultural relevance, human stories, and digital engagement.
Samsung emerged as one of the most prominent brands at the Paris 2024 Games, successfully capitalising on the event’s global reach. Through their “Team Samsung Galaxy” initiative, the brand not only highlighted the talents of both debut and returning athletes but also bridged the gap between the online and offline experiences.
Their clever use of “victory selfies” taken on their latest flip smartphone, which was gifted to all 17,000 competitors, ensured that the product became a focal point in the games’ digital narrative. These images significantly boosted sales for Samsung’s foldable phone, with a notable 23 per cent increase following key victories by Team GB athletes.
The campaign’s success underscored the power of integrating product placement with real-time social media amplification, setting a new benchmark for how to activate Olympic sponsorship rights.
Relaxed IOC rules at Paris 2024 also allowed for more direct, unfiltered athlete-to-fan interactions – a move that brands were quick to leverage. Pampers, in particular, made a lasting impact by partnering with track and field star Allyson Felix to highlight the first-ever Olympic Village nursery.
This collaboration was a powerful statement on the compatibility of motherhood and athletic excellence. The nursery’s presence addressed a long-overlooked need and aligned perfectly with Pampers’ brand values.
Felix’s personal story, coupled with Pampers’ commitment, resonated deeply with audiences, especially considering Felix’s previous conflicts with Nike after becoming a mother.
NBC, the official broadcaster of the Paris 2024 Olympics, also adapted to the changing media landscape by betting big on pop culture. Snoop Dogg’s role as a special correspondent added a layer of entertainment that was unexpected and highly engaging.
His spontaneous dance moves at gymnastics events, pre-filmed clips with Michael Phelps, and humorous commentary on events like badminton and rugby went viral across social media platforms. The decision to integrate Snoop Dogg paid off handsomely, with the network averaging 34m viewers across its platforms in the five days following the opening ceremony—an increase of 15m from the Tokyo Games.
This strategic move highlighted the growing importance of cultural relevance and entertainment in capturing audience attention, even for a traditional broadcaster like NBC.
The Paris 2024 Olympics have shown that the future of brand sponsorship lies in digital innovation and cultural resonance. As brands like Samsung, Pampers, and NBC have demonstrated, success at the Olympics now hinges on the ability to create meaningful, shareable experiences that transcend the boundaries of traditional media.
With the 2028 Games on the horizon, it will be fascinating to see how these trends evolve, what new technologies emerge to shape the next generation of Olympic partnerships and how open the IOC will be to embrace them.
With the Cannes Film Festival about to begin, we interviewed Louise Johnson, a member of the jury for the Entertainment Lions for Sport category at Cannes Lions 2024. In addition to its role on the jury, Fuse, the agency led by Louise, is expanding into Brazil, marking an exciting new chapter in the company’s history.
Louise Johnson is the CEO of Fuse, a leading global sports and entertainment marketing agency within Omnicom Media Group. With more than 20 years of experience in the field, Louise has worked on both the client and agency side, managing Vodafone’s global portfolio that included Ferrari F1, McLaren F1, Manchester United FC, David Beckham and the UEFA Champions League, operating in more than 100 markets. Under his leadership, Fuse has tripled in size, with a team of 250 people serving 10 of the world’s top 30 brands. The agency has negotiated over $1.1 billion in rights over the past six years, making it one of the largest and most respected in the industry.
Louise Johnson: Since the inception of the Entertainment Lions for Sport category four years ago, the ambition has been to embrace purpose and inclusion. And these demonstrations of inclusion continue to be important. However, I believe we will also see a return of sports jobs that entertain audiences by connecting with lifestyle and humor. With brands fighting for attention and looking to credibly connect with culture, I expect more cross-cultural activations in sports involving music, fashion and film.
Louise Johnson: The Festival aims to celebrate creativity that harnesses fan culture and the power of sports and esports to connect people to brands. In judging entries, we strive for excellence in innovative creativity within the sports and esports ecosystem, through the effective use of strategic planning, sponsorship, brand management, media, entertainment, and/or talent. Participants should focus on highlighting their creativity and ability to connect with fans to stand out.
Louise Johnson: Bringing esports into the Entertainment Lions for Sport category is a positive step towards making the sport more inclusive and accessible for everyone. This highlights alternative ways of engaging in the sports landscape and helps diversify the application pool and areas that brands can address in their campaigns. The lines between sport and entertainment are increasingly blurred, with the sporting event itself being a small part of a larger fan experience. With over 3 billion players globally, esports creates a vast and interconnected audience, providing ample opportunities for brands to innovate and engage with specific communities.
Louise Johnson: In recent years, we’ve seen the advent of partnerships, rather than sponsorships. It’s a way of working that benefits both sides equally, creating a strong legacy, impacting important change, and generating a significant return on investment. Last year’s Grand Prix deservedly went to Michelob Ultra and FCB for the DreamCaster campaign. This campaign allowed a blind basketball fan to fulfill their dream of narrating a live game to millions of people in the U.S., showing how the sport can create valuable real-life impacts.
Louise Johnson: From my perspective, the Festival continues to work its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy. Within the Entertainment Lions for Sport category, there is a specific category for this theme. This includes creative work led by brands that utilizes sport to address and confront disparities based on sex, sexuality, disability, age, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or other status within a sports or sports-related community. I hope to see very strong work in this space in 2024.
Louise Johnson: In addition to the criteria set by the organizers, my jury and I will be looking for unique ideas that are relevant to the real world. This includes ideas that connect different sports fans across diverse regions/cultures and that can align with the values and purposes of a brand or organization. While the work needs to add value to the end consumer or the business, it would be great if there’s an entertainment factor too – after all, we’re in the entertainment category!
Louise Johnson: Artificial intelligence is still the buzzword and has already shaped some impactful work. If we look at last year’s winner – generative artificial intelligence helped a blind man narrate a basketball game. In addition, AI was incorporated into the process of creating Orange’s ‘Les Bleues’ revealing advertisement during the UEFA Women’s Euros last year, helping to highlight the necessary progression in attitudes towards women’s sport. While it clearly has wide-ranging benefits for sports marketing, brands need to be careful about how they engage with AI and ensure they are not completely eradicating human creativity. A new aspect of this year’s awards is an AI notice, which I hope will be a transparent and effective way to see how AI has been incorporated into the entries
Louise Johnson: São Paulo is the center of sport in Brazil, and having a Fuse office there will allow us to capitalize on the region’s fastest-growing sports sponsorship market. In addition to supporting brands and rights holders, we also aim to increase local participation in sport, from the grassroots to the professional level. Over the past ten years, Brazil has hosted two of the world’s biggest sporting events – the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. With confirmation that the FIFA Women’s World Cup will also be held there, there are many untapped opportunities in this territory, ripe for innovation.
Louise Johnson: We cannot ignore that women’s football in South America is still developing, but it is evident that Brazil is going through a clear movement to expand and professionalize women’s leagues, bringing the region closer to the infrastructure of the US and Europe. With the confirmation of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Brazil is experiencing a special moment with its venues, brands, sponsors and sports rights holders, all looking forward to the joy that the Cup will bring. This will also generate an excellent opportunity for Brazil to connect and relate to a significantly larger audience. In addition, Formula 1 recently extended its contract with the São Paulo Grand Prix until 2030, showing that the motorsport market in Brazil is profitable. It is the fourth largest motorsport market in the world and Lucas di Grassi, one of the country’s greatest racing drivers, is supporting the electric revolution in Brazil. We can see a lot of opportunities for new entrants in the sponsorship scene, and with sustainability at the top of global agendas, we’re likely to see an increase in these types of sports around the world.
Louise Johnson: Luiz has extensive experience in sports advertising and marketing, with almost two decades in the industry. He was previously Marketing Director at São Paulo Futebol Clube and, most recently, led the sports division of the Outpromo media agency, OMG Brasil. Leveraging their expertise will ensure that Fuse is at the forefront of sports sponsorship in Brazil.
Louise Johnson: The new office opened with a strong customer collection that includes insurance company Ezze Seguros, betting companies KTO and F12Bet, online sticker store Panini, the Brazilian Olympic Committee, payment wallet company Pay 4 Fun, and brewery Heineken. Fuse’s Brazil office will focus on offering partnership consulting, rights consulting, activation, measurement and effectiveness in sports and entertainment to clients. In addition to these services, Fuse Brasil will launch a sales and rights consulting offering, Fuse Ignite, designed to enhance rights holders’ sponsorship proposals.
Louise Johnson: Fuse is part of the Omnicom Media Group, and in addition to our deep understanding of what brands want in terms of sponsorship, we benefit from the group’s broader media, data, and business intelligence capabilities. The result is that our clients benefit from truly integrated thinking, suited to modern marketing.
Louise Johnson: In addition to Brazil, we now have offices in Chile, which is extremely exciting. In 2025, we plan to expand into other markets in South America that are strategically important to our industry. We are excited about the positive impact our presence in Brazil will have on the sports marketing and entertainment industry in the region.
Louise Johnson: Not only do we have great talent in Brazil, but Fuse is fortunate to be part of the Omnicom Media Group. Already one of the fastest-growing sports and entertainment networks, this connection to the broader OMG allows us to bring truly integrated thinking to customers’ sports and entertainment partnership needs, while ensuring a significant impact on brand image and business bottom lines.
